Advocacy

Advocacy in Action

Engaging with your local Member of Parliament (MP) is an effective way of demonstrating that you – and people in your community – care about justice, non-discrimination and upholding human rights for all. You can let them know that you want to see our government reflecting your values of a welcoming Australia by providing an efficient and transparent process to support those seeking safety. Below are some major areas concerning refugees and people seeking asylum that we can speak to them about:

Urgent action required to avert further injury and loss of life on Manus Island and Nauru. Recently, we have witnessed refugees and asylum seekers there suffer the deterioration in living conditions and safety, the progressive withdrawal of Australian Government-funded support and services, growing confusion and chaos. Many of the men on Manus Island have complex mental and physical health problems that have worsened as tensions have escalated and essential services have ceased. The best solution would be for us advocate for these asylum seekers and refugees to be evacuated and brought to safety.

Changes to the Status Resolution Support Service (SRSS) for people seeking asylum that have been occurring since August 2017 now mean that more people than ever before living in our community will be at risk of destitution and homelessness.You can read more about these changes here:https://www.refugeecouncil.org.au/takeaction/forced-destitution/

How to Write to your MP?

1. Find the name and contact details of your local MP

You can find your MP and their contact details, including their postal address on the Parliamentary website at http://www.aph.gov.au/Senators_and_Members. A consolidated list of MPs and their postal address can also be found on the same website, and can also be downloaded in a PDF format.

2. Download the letter template

To help you write to your MP, we have a prepared some letter templates which you can access by clicking the buttons below. Don’t forget to include your name and contact details, so that your MP can respond to your letter. You may also like to add a few sentences to personalize the letter and emphasize why Australia’s treatment of people seeking safety is an issue of importance to you.

3. Send the letter to your MP and let us know if you get a response!

Although you can communicate with your MP via email, letters that are printed and sent via the post tend to have more impact and are more likely to receive a personalized response. CARAD would welcome any feedback on responses or outcomes from your letter! Please send any comments or feedback to office@carad.org.au.

For further information or assistance

If you have any questions or require additional information, you may contact CARAD at (08) 9227 7322 or via email at office@carad.org.au. We would also welcome any feedback or information about responses you get from your MP.